The Stars Died So That You Could Be Here Today
by WinterSky101
Summary: Anakin and Padmé guide Obi-Wan through his mourning for Qui-Gon. Missing scene from Phantom Menace.


**Title comes from this quote by Lawrence M. Krauss: "The amazing thing is that every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics: You are all stardust. You couldn't be here if stars hadn't exploded, because the elements - the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution - weren't created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars, and the only way they could get into your body is if those stars were kind enough to explode. So, forget Jesus. The stars died so that you could be here today."**

 **A quick warning: Obi-Wan uses unhealthy coping mechanisms in his grieving over Qui-Gon, which include not eating or sleeping for four days. If this might be triggering to anyone, please be careful.**

* * *

Padmé has just finished the last of her duties for the night when she feels a gentle tug on her skirt. She takes a deep breath and resigns herself to the fact that she's not going to be able to get to bed as quickly as she'd hoped, and then she turns around.

Anakin is standing behind her, his eyes wide and worried. Something on her face must show her exhaustion, because he ducks his head and mumbles, "I don't want to bother you, Your Highness."

"You're not bothering me, Ani," Padmé replies, crouching in front of Anakin to make them the same height. "And you can call me Padmé. What's wrong?"

Anakin shifts his weight from leg to leg, not looking at Padmé. Just when she thinks she's going to have to give him more prompting, he whispers, "Do Jedi have to eat?"

Padmé blinks. This is not a question she was expecting. "What?"

Anakin flushes and ducks his head. "I was just wondering," he says, a slight edge of petulance to his tone. "'Cause Obi-Wan hasn't eaten since Qui-Gon died and I know I would be sick by this point but I don't know if it's the same for Jedi."

It's been four days since Qui-Gon died. Padmé forces herself to push aside her horror at the fact that Anakin knows how he would feel after four days of no food and focuses on the issue at hand. She doesn't know much about Jedi, she'll admit that freely, but she can't imagine that any human can go four days without eating and not suffer for it. Jedi or not, she doubts Obi-Wan is an exception.

"Is he still in his quarters?" Padmé asks, standing and taking Anakin's hand.

Anakin blinks at her. "Um, yeah."

"I think we should go pay him a visit," Padmé announces. She squeezes Anakin's hand gently. She hasn't been able to spend much time with him or Obi-Wan since she retook the city, too busy with politics and rebuilding. But she knows the Supreme Chancellor and the Jedi should be arriving tomorrow, and she knows that Anakin and Obi-Wan will be returning to Coruscant with them. She should have taken time out of her day to visit them before now, especially if Obi-Wan's been running himself into the ground the way Anakin seems to think he has. She'll remedy that now.

The door to Obi-Wan's quarters is locked, but Padmé is the Queen and Anakin has been staying with him anyway, so it's no barrier to them. The room seems empty at first, all the lights off so it's bathed in darkness, but then Padmé notices a silhouette on the bed. She flips the switch to turn on the lights and immediately has to fight back a gasp.

Obi-Wan is sitting on the bed, his legs crossed and his eyes closed. He hasn't reacted to the lights being turned on or Anakin and Padmé entering the room. His face is pale and his cheeks are sunken, and the bags under his eyes are like bruises. He looks horrible, and Padmé thinks it's no wonder Anakin seems so worried. Now that she's seen him, she's worried too.

"Obi-Wan?" she asks quietly. There's no response. She takes a step forward, dragging Anakin along with her. "Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan's eyelids flutter slightly, then he opens his eyes slowly, blinking a few times before Padmé can see him focus on her and Anakin in front of him. "Your Highness," he murmurs, his voice hoarse and thin. "Is something wrong?"

"When was the last time you ate?" Padmé demands, her eyes wide. "When was the last time you _slept_?"

Obi-Wan's lips thin slightly. He gives Anakin a look, but doesn't say a word to him. "A Jedi does not require sustenance the way others do," he says, his voice a little more clipped than usual. "And meditation is as restful as sleep, if not more so."

"Answer the questions," Padmé says, allowing some steel to creep into her tone. She's not the Queen of Naboo for nothing. "Have you eaten or slept since the Battle?"

Obi-Wan's face twists. Padmé knows he hears the words she's not saying as clearly as she does. _Have you eaten or slept since Qui-Gon died?_

"Are you gonna be okay, Master Obi-Wan?" Anakin asks, his voice small.

"I'm not a master," Obi-Wan says, and suddenly he sounds so unbelievably tired that Padmé almost wants to cry. "And you needn't worry about me."

"Have you eaten or slept, _Padawan_ Kenobi?" Padmé asks sharply. She's not above pulling rank if she has to, but she'd rather not. Anyway, Jedi are both subject to the rulers of the people and above them, so she's not sure if Obi-Wan would listen to her even if she did.

"Your Highness-" Obi-Wan moves to stand, but the second he's upright he begins to sway alarmingly. Padmé moves forward at the same time as Anakin does, and within a few seconds they're at Obi-Wan's sides, gently lowering him back onto the bed.

"Anakin?" Padmé asks, looking at him past Obi-Wan. "Do you know where the kitchens are?"

"No," Anakin replies, not taking his fearful eyes off Obi-Wan for a second.

Padmé reconsiders and pulls out the comm unit tucked deep into the folds of her skirt. "Rabé?"

 _"Yes, Your Highness?"_ comes the immediate answer.

"Can you bring three trays of food up to the Jedi's rooms?" Padmé asks, eyeing Anakin and Obi-Wan. "I'll be taking my meal in here."

 _"Of course, Your Highness,"_ Rabé replies smoothly, far too professional to ask why. _"Will you be wanting to change into more comfortable clothes?"_

Padmé looks down at her dress and suddenly remembers that she's still wearing the traditional face paint. "Yes," she replies. "Can you bring some along with the food?"

 _"Of course,"_ Rabé replies. _"I'll be there presently."_

"You don't have to stay," Obi-Wan says hoarsely.

"And if I leave, will you actually eat?" Padmé counters. "Or sleep?"

Obi-Wan scowls. "I can take care of myself."

"Clearly not." Padmé stands. "Anakin, make sure Obi-Wan doesn't do anything foolish. I'm going to clean up in the 'fresher."

Anakin nods, still eyeing Obi-Wan like he's about to collapse. Obi-Wan's scowl hasn't abated, but Padmé's fairly certain Jedi aren't supposed to be swayed by pride, so she hopes he won't be too proud to accept her help.

She steps into the 'fresher and looks at herself in the mirror. She thought she looked tired that morning, but now she can't help but compare herself to Obi-Wan and realize how well-rested she has the luxury of being. She removes a few pins and takes off her headdress, then removes a few more pins and lets her hair fall around her shoulders. Then she takes a facecloth and wets it before carefully wiping away the face paint. It comes away with a bit of rubbing, leaving white and red smears on the facecloth.

When it's finally gone and the figure in the mirror looks more like Padmé than Queen Amidala, Padmé picks up the headdress and the hairpins and leaves the 'fresher. She sets the headdress and the pins down, then she returns to Obi-Wan's side.

Neither he nor Anakin seem to have moved in the time she was in the 'fresher. Obi-Wan's eyes are closed and his breaths are measured in the same way they were when Padmé and Anakin first entered the room. Anakin is watching him carefully, gripping one of Obi-Wan's hands tightly.

"I can't imagine that meditation is a proper substitute for sleep," Padmé remarks, sitting next to Obi-Wan.

His eyes flutter open, much more quickly than they did before. "Meditation is an acceptable substitute when sleep is impossible."

"And you can't sleep," Padmé finishes softly.

"Do you have nightmares?" Anakin asks, sounding surprised. "I have nightmares sometimes, but I didn't know that _Jedi_ got them."

There's something horribly sad in Obi-Wan's attempt at a smile, but the fact that he attempts it at all gives Padmé hope. "Jedi are far more human than you might think," he says wryly.

"Then you need food and sleep," Padmé says. The door chimes and she stands to answer it. "Wash up and go to the table."

"Wash up?" Anakin murmurs, sounding confused. Padmé leaves that to Obi-Wan as she opens the door to Rabé, a simple nightgown draped over her arm, and two servants with the food she ordered.

"Set the food on the table," Padmé commands imperiously. "Rabé, you can help me change in the 'fresher when Obi-Wan and Anakin are done."

"As you wish, Your Highness," Rabé replies smoothly, although Padmé can see the curiosity burning in her eyes. Rabé is too professional to ask question in public, but Padmé doubts that professionalism will extend to the privacy of the 'fresher.

Sure enough, when Obi-Wan and Anakin exit and Padmé and Rabé step inside, Rabé's first too-casual words are, "Will you be sleeping in your room tonight, my lady?"

Padmé sighs. "I doubt it," she admits. "Someone has to make sure Obi-Wan sleeps, and Anakin is a dear, but I don't think he can do it."

"If you don't mind my saying so, Your Highness, you seem to care a lot for the young Jedi," Rabé says far too innocently as she undoes the buttons down the back of Padmé's dress.

"Are you asking if I'm in love with him?" Padmé asks. "A Jedi, sworn to celibacy, and a Queen, too busy running a planet to fall in love? We're not exactly a holodrama match."

"On the contrary, I'm sure there are quite a few holos with a similar plot," Rabé counters. "And you haven't answered my question."

"I'm not in love with him," Padmé says as her dress falls off her shoulders and pools around her feet. She steps out of it, then stands still again to let Rabé loosen her corset and petticoats. "But I care for him, and I don't want to watch him waste away like he seems intent on doing."

"You cannot heal a mind that does not want to be healed," Rabé cautions quietly.

"I can do all that I can."

Rabé unlaces Padmé's corset and helps her step out of her petticoats. She passes her the nightgown, which Padmé slips into as Rabé gathers up the remnants of her dress. The buttons are on the side of the nightgown, which makes it easy enough for Padmé to get in and out of it herself. She buttons herself up, then takes the robe that Rabé offers, pulling it on.

"I'll tell the others where you'll be spending the night," Rabé says. "We will have the utmost discretion, Your Highness."

"I'm sure you will," Padmé replies. "Thank you, Rabé."

"I do as my lady commands," Rabé replies with a wink. She opens the door to the 'fresher and Padmé steps out, crossing to the small table where Obi-Wan and Anakin already sit.

"We haven't started yet," Anakin tells her earnestly. "Obi-Wan said it would be rude."

"Obi-Wan is well-versed in etiquette, but when it comes to a meal with friends, you don't have to wait," Padmé replies. Behind her, Rabé slips out of the room, carrying Padmé's gown and headdress. "Please, eat."

Anakin starts shoveling food into his mouth immediately, seeming to savor the fruit more than anything else. Obi-Wan shifts the food around with his fork and picks at his food, apparently under the impression that, if he moves his food into little piles around the plate, Padmé won't realize that he's not actually eating it.

"Do you like the food here, Ani?" Padmé asks, taking a bite from her own plate.

"I've never tasted food like this before!" Anakin cries. "And the fruit is so good! I've never had fruit before."

"You can have mine," Obi-Wan offers, his voice still hoarse. Padmé pours him a glass of water.

"Oh." Padmé can see the indecision on Anakin's face as he looks at the dish of fruit on Obi-Wan's plate. "Well, I wouldn't wanna take it from you."

"I'm not going to eat it," Obi-Wan replies. Padmé scowls at him. "If I eat too much, Your Highness, I might become ill."

Padmé blinks. She hadn't thought of that. She's never gone without food for four days, but she can remember working with refugees who hadn't eaten in far too long, and they hadn't been able to stomach rich food. Those who had tried had, like Obi-Wan said, become ill.

"Do you want simpler food?" Padmé asks, frowning at Obi-Wan's plate. He's nibbled at the roll, eaten a few spoonfuls of the soup, and not touched the meat or fruit. "I could call down to the kitchens if you want."

"The soup and the roll will be enough for me, Your Highness," Obi-Wan replies, bowing his head. "Anakin, just take the fruit. You can take the meat as well, if you wish."

Anakin looks around warily for a moment, like he's expecting someone to jump out and stop him, then he takes the dish of fruit from Obi-Wan's plate. He leaves the meat, but Padmé can see him eyeing it every few moments.

"Don't worry about finishing your food if you can't do it," Padmé tells Obi-Wan. "Anything you don't eat will be brought back down to the kitchen and eaten by someone else. We don't like wasting things on Naboo, especially not food."

Anakin seems to relax a bit after Padmé says that, and she wonders if he had been considering eating Obi-Wan's meat just to keep it from going to waste. She supposes, coming from a planet like Tatooine, it would be a reasonable assumption to make.

"The Jedi and the Supreme Chancellor will be arriving tomorrow, if all goes as planned," Padmé remarks. "Will you both be returning to Coruscant with them?"

"I will return to the Jedi Temple," Obi-Wan says, not looking up from his soup.

"I don't know," Anakin says cautiously. "The Jedi said I couldn't be one, but then Master Qui-" He freezes before he finishes the name, looking at Obi-Wan with wide eyes. Padmé holds her breath, wondering if the name is enough to send Obi-Wan spiraling again.

"My master asked me to teach you," Obi-Wan says, which is news to Padmé and, apparently, Anakin. "But I don't know if the Council will allow it. I'm still a Padawan myself, so-"

"But if they agree, will you do it?" Anakin asks, his eyes wide.

"I gave Qui-Gon my word," Obi-Wan says quietly. "And I sense that you are meant to be a Jedi, no matter what the Council says. You are too strong in the Force to be left untrained."

Anakin's eyes light up. "I hope you teach me to be a Jedi!" he cries, and to Obi-Wan's clear surprise, he throws his arms around Obi-Wan's neck. The look of mingled surprise and confusion on Obi-Wan's face makes Padmé wonder how long it's been since someone last hugged him.

"Yes, I hope so too," Obi-Wan says awkwardly, trying in vain to disentangle himself from Anakin's arms. "You should get back in your seat and eat your food, Anakin. Do remember we're dining in the presence of a queen."

"You're dining in the presence of a _friend_ , Obi-Wan," Padmé corrects. "If I wanted to eat like a queen, I'd eat with my advisors."

Anakin finally lets go of Obi-Wan, to Obi-Wan's obvious relief, and clambers back into his chair. "Do you not like being the queen, then?"

Padmé blinks. No one's ever asked her that before. Since she won the election, everyone's told her how _lucky_ she is, and how _amazing_ it is for her to be queen, and what a _great_ queen she is. No one's asked her if she likes it.

"I do, most of the time," she says after a long moment of thought. "But sometimes it can be exhausting. Since the invasion, there's been so much to do. The time I spent with you and your mother on Tatooine was probably the closest thing I've had to time off since the Trade Federation started their blockade."

Anakin looks stunned. "Don't you want a vacation?"

Padmé laughs. "Of course I do, but there's too much to be done. I hope that after the Viceroy is brought to Coruscant to stand trial, I might have a little less to do."

"I assume your testimony will be invaluable in the trial," Obi-Wan remarks.

"And yours as well," Padmé counters. "The word of a Jedi holds great weight, and the story of how the Viceroy and his cronies attempted to gas you to death on their ship will be a great blow to their credibility."

"They did _what_?" Anakin demands. "How did you survive?"

"We held our breath and used the Force to filter out the toxin as much as possible," Obi-Wan replies.

Padmé knows that he's just as painfully aware of the name they're all skirting around. "No more politics," she declares. "We're only going to talk about nice things tonight."

"This fruit is nice," Anakin remarks, eating the last piece from Obi-Wan's dish. He's wolfed down all of his food, Padmé notices, while Obi-Wan has eaten about half of his roll and most of the soup. She herself is nearly finished with her food, and she gives Obi-Wan a significant look and then flickers her gaze down to look at the food still on his tray. Obi-Wan picks up his spoon and eats another mouthful of the soup.

"Is there fruit like this at the Jedi temple?" Anakin asks. "What sort of food do they have there?"

"I don't tend to eat at the Temple commissary all that often," Obi-Wan admits. "But you can find all sorts of food on Coruscant, from all corners of the galaxy."

"Even food from Tatooine?" Anakin asks, sounding dubious.

"I'm certain we could find it somewhere, if you wanted it," Obi-Wan replies.

"I don't want to eat that _poodoo_ ever again," Anakin says vehemently. Padmé's not quite sure what "poodoo" means, but she thinks she understands the sentiment nonetheless. "Could we find fruit like this?"

"I'm certain we could," Obi-Wan replies. "Meilooruns, at the very least, are beloved throughout the entire galaxy, and they're easy to find on most Core and even Mid-Rim planets."

" _Even_ Mid-Rim planets?" Padmé repeats. "Even if you live in the heart of the Core, it doesn't mean that us _Mid-Rim planets_ are somehow lesser."

"I meant no such disrespect," Obi-Wan says quickly. "My home planet of Stewjon is in the Outer Rim, and I've visited enough planets that I know the Core is no better than anywhere else."

"I'm just teasing, Obi-Wan," Padmé assures him with a laugh. "And I know that the Core has some advantages that we don't have. If the Trade Federation had tried to blockade a Core planet like Alderaan, they never would have gotten away with it."

"That's not fair," Anakin says, frowning. "Who cares how close a planet is to Coruscant? All planets should be treated the same."

"And ideally, they would be," Obi-Wan agrees. "But we do not live in an ideal galaxy, Anakin. All we can do is work hard to make it better. That is the job of the Jedi."

"And sometimes the job of queens," Padmé adds.

"Sometimes?" Obi-Wan repeats, raising an eyebrow.

"I might be a queen, but I know that we don't always do good in the galaxy," Padmé replies. "I can admit that."

"I think you're making the galaxy better," Anakin says stubbornly.

"I agree," Obi-Wan adds. "Your work helps many people, Your Highness."

"You can both call me Padmé, you know," Padmé says wryly. "You did it before you knew I was the queen."

"Qui-Gon and I both knew you were the queen from very early into the mission," Obi-Wan remarks. "We had a bet going on when you would admit it. He won."

"How did you know?" Padmé demands.

"The way the Living Force moves in you is different from the way it moves in your handmaiden," Obi-Wan replies. "Only a Jedi trained in the Living Force could tell the difference."

"What's the Living Force?" Anakin asks, watching Obi-Wan with unabashed awe.

"An aspect of the Force. Qui-Gon was a master of it, but I've always been more attuned to the Unifying Force."

"What's that?"

"Another aspect of the Force," Obi-Wan says dryly. "These are all things you'll learn if you become a Jedi."

"Are you finished eating, Obi-Wan?" Padmé asks. There's still a little less than half a roll on Obi-Wan's plate, but he's finished his soup, which is more than Padmé expected of him.

"I am, Your Highness," Obi-Wan agrees. "Is there somewhere to put the trays?"

"Give them to me," Padmé says, picking up her tray. Anakin makes a movement like he's about to give her his, but Obi-Wan frowns and Anakin goes still.

"Your Highness, I couldn't ask that of you. Tell me what to do with the trays and I can put them away."

"Give them to me, Obi-Wan," Padmé says firmly, holding out a hand. When he doesn't move, she adds, "I am a queen, remember. You don't want to anger me."

The slightest hint of a smile flickers across Obi-Wan's face. "I suppose not," he agrees, finally and reluctantly giving Padmé his tray. Anakin quickly follows suit. Padmé crosses the room to a small slot through which she pushes the three trays. Obi-Wan's meat, which he left untouched, she puts through another slot.

"The trays will be sent to a washing room," she explains. "And the meat will be sent to a cooling room until someone can bring it down to the kitchen."

"Ingenious," Obi-Wan compliments. Padmé can see him visibly flagging and figures it's just about time for the second part of her plan to make Obi-Wan take care of himself: make him get some sleep.

"It's getting late," she remarks. "Anakin, you look tired."

"It's been a long day," Anakin agrees, catching on quickly.

"I know you're both trying to get me to go to sleep," Obi-Wan remarks, his face twisting slightly. "You don't need to do all of this. I'll sleep."

"Glad to hear it," Padmé replies. "And Anakin and I will be staying here to make sure you do."

Obi-Wan's eyes go wide. "Your Highness, you don't need to stay here. It's not necessary-"

"I will sleep where I please, Obi-Wan," Padmé replies firmly. She's been thinking about where to sleep throughout all of dinner. Qui-Gon's rooms are connected to Obi-Wan's, but Padmé can't even consider the thought of sleeping in there. She won't fit on Obi-Wan's bed, especially since she expects Anakin will want to sleep on it with Obi-Wan, but there's a long and comfortable sofa that she can use.

"You can take the bed, then-" Obi-Wan begins, but Padmé cuts him off.

"I will take the sofa. You and Anakin can take the bed."

"Anakin and I?" Obi-Wan repeats, looking at Anakin.

"I can go to another room if you want," Anakin says, his face starting to fall.

"No, that won't be necessary," Obi-Wan replies quickly. "We can share the bed. But Your Highness, you really don't need to stay here."

"Obi-Wan, I've been told many times that one of my biggest flaws is my stubbornness," Padmé says. "You won't be able to convince me to go."

"I believe I've seen this stubbornness first hand, Your Highness," Obi-Wan replies dryly.

"Then you'll know that it's best to just let me do what I want," Padmé declares.

"It will not… make anything difficult?" Obi-Wan asks, the tips of his ears beginning to go red as he works around the question. Padmé knows what he's talking about, but she'll admit she'd like to see him squirm a little before she answers.

"What do you mean?"

Obi-Wan's ears only go redder. "There won't be… rumors?"

"If you're worried people will think we're sleeping together, my handmaidens will swear up and down that I slept in my bed last night if I ask them, and I doubt anyone would think it anyway."

Obi-Wan's flush has overtaken his entire face by this point. "Very well," he says, obviously to make Padmé stop talking about it. "If you're certain."

"I am," Padmé says. "Now, why don't you two get to sleep?"

Anakin stands and looks at Obi-Wan until he sighs and follows Anakin to the bed. "You first," Anakin declares, pointing at the bed.

"So I can't escape?" Obi-Wan asks dryly, but he slides under the covers obediently. Anakin clambers up after him, pressing his back against Obi-Wan's chest. He's asleep remarkably quickly, but Obi-Wan doesn't seem to have the same sort of luck.

Padmé goes to a cabinet and pulls out a spare blanket and pillow. She sets them on the couch and lies down, shifting around until she gets comfortable.

"Go to sleep, Obi-Wan," she calls softly. "You're alright. You're safe here."

"Goodnight, Your Highness," Obi-Wan replies, his voice almost too quiet for Padmé to hear. Before too long, his breathing evens out enough that Padmé thinks he's sleeping.

For her part, all she has to do is close her eyes, and she's out like a light.

Until, later that night, some noise disturbs her and she's not.

Padmé's internal clock tells her it's been a few hours since she fell asleep, but she's also been somewhat discombobulated from all of the space travel over the past few week. She blinks, trying to figure out what woke her up.

Across the room, a dark silhouette is sitting upright on the bed, breathing heavily and occasionally making noises that sound like hastily stifled sobs.

"Obi-Wan?" Padmé asks, standing and padding over to the bed. "Are you alright?"

Obi-Wan makes a soft noise that almost sounds like he's choking. "Our bond is so _raw_ , and the Force is still tinged with darkness, and he's _gone_ -"

Padmé moves quickly, crawling onto the bed and enfolding Obi-Wan in her arms. He's a decade older than her, but he shakes in her embrace like a small child, sobbing into her shoulder. Padmé wonders when he last let himself cry.

"It's alright to grieve," she whispers. "It's alright to mourn, Obi-Wan. It's only human to care."

"There is no death, there is the Force," Obi-Wan replies in a very small voice. Padmé has no idea what that means, but Obi-Wan continues before she can ask. "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force."

To Padmé, the words sound a little ridiculous, but Obi-Wan seems to take comfort from them. "I'm sorry," he tells Padmé, pulling away and visibly retreating behind his mask of indifferent Jedi Padawan.

"You don't need to be sorry," Padmé replies. "It's alright, Obi-Wan."

"You should go back to sleep," Obi-Wan says quietly, slowly lying back down. Padmé watches him for a moment, then goes back to the sofa and crawls under the covers. This time, it takes longer for her to fall asleep, but she manages.

* * *

Obi-Wan is every inch the perfect Jedi when the Council representatives arrive, and he shows no flicker of emotion during Qui-Gon's funeral. Padmé does hear him tell Anakin that he's going to train him, which is one positive, at least. She hopes Obi-Wan manages to take care of himself back on Coruscant, but she's not sure he will. Anakin will be there, at least, and hopefully he'll be able to keep Obi-Wan from completely running himself into the ground.

Padmé watches as the ship takes off, returning to Coruscant, and sighs. "Will you miss them, my lady?" Rabé asks softly, standing on Padmé's left.

"I will," Padmé admits. "And I will worry for them."

"They'll manage, my lady," Rabé says softly. Her fingers brush against Padmé's, the gentle touch comforting. "You don't need to worry about them."

Padmé watches the ship disappear into the atmosphere. "They will," she agrees softly. "They'll manage."

And they do.


End file.
